Mind Your Farm Business

When the going is good, it’s tempting to focus on growth and measure success by the size of your acreage. But is bigger always better? In this episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, host Shaun Haney is joined by Dean Klippenstine of MNP for a conversation that challenges the thinking that bigger is... Read More

On this episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, host Shaun Haney is joined by Chris Hardwick, entrepreneur, adventurer, and leadership coach, for a candid discussion about the psychology behind decision-making on the farm, especially when fear, risk, and ego collide. Hardwick blends life experience with business lessons to help farmers and business owners... Read More

? Whether you’re pricing inputs, closing a land deal, or hiring custom work, negotiation is woven into the fabric of farm business decisions. But too often, it’s done on the fly—with vague goals and little planning. In this episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, Shaun Haney is joined by Mark Raffan of Negotiations... Read More

In this episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, Shaun Haney is joined by estate planning expert and bestselling author Dr. Tom Deans to discuss why avoiding conversations about succession, wills, and wealth can lead to disastrous consequences for farm families. Deans, author of Every Family’s Business, Willing Wisdom, and The Happy Inheritor, shares... Read More

What does it really mean to “scale” a farm business? In this episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, Shaun Haney is joined by Evan Shout, president of Maverick Ag and co-founder of Farmer Coach, to explore the many shapes growth can take and discuss why more land isn’t always the answer. From managing... Read More

In this episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, host Shaun Haney sits down with Ted Oakley, managing partner of Oxbow Advisors and author of Second Generation Wealth, to discuss the critical topic of passing down wealth and responsibility in farm families. Ted draws from decades of experience helping families manage major liquidity events... Read More

What makes a good farmer a great one? In this episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, host Shaun Haney digs into that question with Margy Eckelkamp of Top Producer at Farm Journal. From battling through the 1980s farm crisis to navigating today’s economic curveballs, Eckelkamp shares how the most successful farm operators think... Read More

Farm transition and succession planning are two of the most avoided yet critical discussions for family farms. In this candid and solution-focused episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, host Shaun Haney welcomes back renowned farm family coach and author Elaine Froese to break down the roots of procrastination and explore how to move... Read More

People have been using handshakes to solidify deals since at least as far back as ancient Roman times. A handshake in those days would show that each person was unarmed, thereby establishing a relationship of honesty and trust. Fast forward to today with the progression of law and contracts, a need for more formalized agreements... Read More

From identify theft, to phishing scams, to data breaches and ransom wear, cyber threats are just as real to individual farmers and farm businesses as they are to the general public. Understanding where online and digital threats come from is key to building a solid risk management plan, says Eugene Ng, cyber security expert with... Read More

You've got to name it to tame it. What does that mean when it comes to how we manage in high-stress situations? In this second half of the conversation on burnout and managing stress, author and mental health advocate Dr. Jessica Metcalfe walks listeners through how to address burnout and anxiety on a daily basis... Read More

Farming is a high-stress profession that sees many participants shouldering heavy loads of worry and anxiety that can lead to burnout. Author and mental health advocate Dr. Jessica Metcalfe says it's important for farmers and ranchers to recognize these conditions and take proactive steps to ensure the weight of agriculture doesn't overwhelm their business and... Read More

In an agricultural context, AI has typically meant making sure animals are bred without needing a bull or ram around. But that’s changing, as artificial intelligence is applied in more areas. Doug Foley, president of Giant Goat, says the data management aspect of AI is already a large part of much of the digital tools… Read More

Imagine a game of telephone, where someone shares a phrase with the person next to them and they whisper it to the person next to them and so on until at the end of the line of people, the last person shares what they think they heard. More times than not, something is lost in… Read More

Becoming an effective leader of any team begins with first taking charge of yourself. Leadership of self, says Mark Gasparotto, is a necessary step before being truly ready and able to lead others, whether on the farm or elsewhere in life. Gasparotto, founder of The Gasparotto Group and former Canadian military commander, says potential leaders... Read More

Becoming an effective leader of any team begins with first taking charge of yourself. Leadership of self, says Mark Gasparotto, is a necessary step before being truly ready and able to lead others, whether on the farm or elsewhere in life. Gasparotto, founder of The Gasparotto Group and former Canadian military commander, says potential leaders… Read More

In agriculture, we love to hate on acronyms and buzzwords, but like many things that become a daily part of our lives, some words — and the topic they represent — are worth getting past the initial dislike and really diving in to what a particular idea or topic could mean for the farm business.... Read More

In agriculture, we love to hate on acronyms and buzzwords, but like many things that become a daily part of our lives, some words — and the topic they represent — are worth getting past the initial dislike and really diving in to what a particular idea or topic could mean for the farm business…. Read More

Did you always know what you wanted to be when you grew up? For many, their career arc is not necessarily what they planned. Many who start in one field discover and become fascinated with another. Others identify opportunities and switch gears accordingly. Some people just fall in to a job they love. When deciding... Read More

Did you always know what you wanted to be when you grew up? For many, their career arc is not necessarily what they planned. Many who start in one field discover and become fascinated with another. Others identify opportunities and switch gears accordingly. Some people just fall in to a job they love. When deciding… Read More

You can’t take it with you. In this case, the “it” is the farm, and if you’re putting off transitioning the farm to a new owner or manager, you might be missing out on a huge opportunity to mentor and continue the success of the legacy you’ve built. The trouble is, most of us operate... Read More

You can’t take it with you. In this case, the “it” is the farm, and if you’re putting off transitioning the farm to a new owner or manager, you might be missing out on a huge opportunity to mentor and continue the success of the legacy you’ve built. The trouble is, most of us operate… Read More

If improving the cost of production is on your farming to-do list, starting with accurate numbers is a must. If the equipment side of the equation has you stuck on what to include, why, and how to get caught up on where your records should be, this is the Mind Your Farm Business podcast for... Read More

If improving the cost of production is on your farming to-do list, starting with accurate numbers is a must. If the equipment side of the equation has you stuck on what to include, why, and how to get caught up on where your records should be, this is the Mind Your Farm Business podcast for… Read More

What does it mean to be a great leader? For Dan Quiggle, true leadership is serving others to help them succeed, relating to staff and colleagues as real people, and taking responsibility for being focused and present in a given moment. Quiggle, founder of The Quiggle Group, is a dynamic and inspiring leader, and someone... Read More

What does it mean to be a great leader? For Dan Quiggle, true leadership is serving others to help them succeed, relating to staff and colleagues as real people, and taking responsibility for being focused and present in a given moment. Quiggle, founder of The Quiggle Group, is a dynamic and inspiring leader, and someone… Read More

What would you try if you knew you couldn’t fail? Fear can be very motivating (ever been chased by a bull in a pasture?) but fear — of failure, of success, of the unknown — can also be paralyzing. Each person’s experience with fear is different, but it’s the very real stories of overcoming fear... Read More

What would you try if you knew you couldn’t fail? Fear can be very motivating (ever been chased by a bull in a pasture?) but fear — of failure, of success, of the unknown — can also be paralyzing. Each person’s experience with fear is different, but it’s the very real stories of overcoming fear… Read More

We often hear that farming is a risky game, due to a massive amount of variables. When you have risk, you need to do what you can to make sure that you’re limiting the potential downside. It’s not realistic to make a farm business risk-neutral, but we can limit the exposure to losses through risk... Read More

We often hear that farming is a risky game, due to a massive amount of variables. When you have risk, you need to do what you can to make sure that you’re limiting the potential downside. It’s not realistic to make a farm business risk-neutral, but we can limit the exposure to losses through risk… Read More

Many times on the Mind Your Farm Business podcast we focus on one issue or topic, as if challenges run independent of each other. On this episode, host Shaun Haney throws that all out the window, and attempts to cover a cloud of issues in farm management. There are many issues impacting the farmers and... Read More

Many times on the Mind Your Farm Business podcast we focus on one issue or topic, as if challenges run independent of each other. On this episode, host Shaun Haney throws that all out the window, and attempts to cover a cloud of issues in farm management. There are many issues impacting the farmers and… Read More

Agriculture has long struggled to attract and retain enough people at nearly every stage of the industry; from general labour, to skilled operators, to farm management, and in the c-suite. In certain geographies, local job markets have made things even more difficult, as higher paying jobs pulled people away from the farm. But now, just... Read More

Agriculture has long struggled to attract and retain enough people at nearly every stage of the industry; from general labour, to skilled operators, to farm management, and in the c-suite. In certain geographies, local job markets have made things even more difficult, as higher paying jobs pulled people away from the farm. But now, just… Read More

Those in agriculture have been encouraged to “tell their story” for years, all in the name of maintaining the social license to operate, or to gain acceptance and understanding of farm practices by the public. But there’s another reason for farmers and agri-business owners to tell a good story: to attract and retain great staff... Read More

Those in agriculture have been encouraged to “tell their story” for years, all in the name of maintaining the social license to operate, or to gain acceptance and understanding of farm practices by the public. But there’s another reason for farmers and agri-business owners to tell a good story: to attract and retain great staff… Read More

If you are a farmer or farm business owner, succession planning is a critical process that you cannot afford to overlook. Succession planning involves transferring ownership and management of your farm business to the next generation, and it is essential for ensuring the long-term viability of your business and your family’s financial future. In this... Read More

If you are a farmer or farm business owner, succession planning is a critical process that you cannot afford to overlook. Succession planning involves transferring ownership and management of your farm business to the next generation, and it is essential for ensuring the long-term viability of your business and your family’s financial future. In this… Read More

Many entrepreneurs struggle with finding the right people to join their team. Right now, the employment market is also very tight as supply is low, and competitiveness for workers is so strong. So much attention is paid to the recruitment of new employees, but how often do we actually focus on the onboarding process? Research... Read More

Many entrepreneurs struggle with finding the right people to join their team. Right now, the employment market is also very tight as supply is low, and competitiveness for workers is so strong. So much attention is paid to the recruitment of new employees, but how often do we actually focus on the onboarding process? Research… Read More

There are many parallels between coaching and team sports and running an effective work force. Leveraging skill sets, managing personality conflicts, goal setting, and teamwork are just as relevant during the seeding season or harvest as they are on the pitch or playing field. For this episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, host... Read More

There are many parallels between coaching and team sports and running an effective work force. Leveraging skill sets, managing personality conflicts, goal setting, and teamwork are just as relevant during the seeding season or harvest as they are on the pitch or playing field. For this episode of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, host… Read More